Rumors of War Rampant
Nearing Midnight commentaries have for months been devoted in
large measure to examining the building economic bubble that
threatens to bring about worldwide cataclysm. We have written
on, for example, things like the crisis this past week involving
the collapsing euro, which is feared to be creating irreparable
cracks in global financial structures.
Todd and I pretty much agree: 1)We are amazed that the bubble
hasn’t burst; 2)We believe that the longer the crises build, the
greater will be the explosion; 3) We maintain that only the
staying hand of God has thus far prevented it from bursting; and
4) We are of the opinion that it will likely be the Rapture of
the church that will pop that bubble.
I, at least, was under the illusion that second only to Israel’s
position at the center of world controversy; the impending
global economic catastrophe has to be the next most profound
signal of how near the very end of the age this generation finds
us. Jesus, of course, didn’t first specifically mention either
Israel or the global economy as being the most significant signs
of His return when His disciples asked Him directly. He did,
however, mention the subject of this commentary: “And as he sat
upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately,
saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be
the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew
24:3).
The Lord described a number of things that would be on the world
scene at the time He would return to planet earth–or at least
above the earth. Among the first signals He mentioned are in the
following: "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see
that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass,
but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom” (Matthew 24:6-7a).
As prophetically stunning as Israel being at stage-center is the
global economic cataclysm looming above this rebellious,
judgment-bound planet. The sudden proliferation of potentially
world-rending military conflicts on the prophetic horizon is
equally astonishing. "Rumors of war" are literally in every
direction we look. We will have brief looks at a number of the
"rumors of war" presently front and center in the news:
Afghanistan to Back Pakistan Against U.S. Islamabad, Oct
23-After being critical of Pakistan over its links with Taliban
militants, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has now said his
country would stand by Islamabad in the event of hostilities
with any nation, including the United States or India. "God
forbid, if at any time there is a war between Pakistan and
America, then we will be with Pakistan," Karzai said in an
interview with Pakistan's Geo News, excerpts of which were aired
by the channel. (One India News, 10/23/11,
http://news.oneindia.in/2011/10/23/wouldstand-by-pakistan-if-it-is-attacked-by-anyonekarzai.html)
Iran Threatens to Bomb Turkey if U.S. or Israel Attacks Iran
will bomb Turkey if the U.S. or Israel tries to destroy its
nuclear installations, a senior military commander warned today.
General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the aerospace division of
the powerful Revolutionary Guard, threatened to target Nato's
missile defence shield in the neighbouring country. The system,
which Turkey only agreed to install in September, is designed to
prevent Iranian missile attacks on Israel. The warning is part
of a new strategy devised by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei that consists of responding "to threats with threats."
General Hajizadeh said: "Should we be threatened, we will target
NATO's missile defense shield in Turkey and then hit the next
targets." (Daily Mail, 11/28/11,
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2066959/Iran-threatens-bomb-Turkey-U-S-Israel-attack-nuclear-installations.html)
Russia's Military Chief Warns that Heightened Risks of Conflict
Near Borders May Turn Nuclear MOSCOW—Russia is facing a
heightened risk of being drawn into conflicts at its borders
that have the potential of turning nuclear, the nation’s top
military officer said Thursday.Gen. Nikolai Makarov, chief of
the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, cautioned over
NATO’s expansion eastward and warned that the risks for Russia
to be pulled into local conflicts have "risen sharply." Makarov
added, according to Russian news agencies, that "under certain
conditions local and regional conflicts may develop into a
full-scale war involving nuclear weapons." (Associated
Press/Washington Post, 11/7/11,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russias-military-chief-potential-conflicts-near-russian-borders-may-grow-into-nuclear-war/2011/11/17/gIQAWQTJUN_story.html)
N. Korea Threatens S. Korean Leader's Office Over Drills SEOUL,
South Korea (AP) – North Korea threatened Thursday to turn
Seoul's presidential office into a "sea of fire," one day after
South Korea conducted large-scale military drills near a
front-line island attacked by North Korea last year. The
exercises marked the first anniversary of North Korea's
artillery attack on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong that
killed two marines and two civilians. The North's military
warned in a statement Thursday that "a similar sea of fire" may
engulf Seoul's presidential Blue House if South Korean forces
ever fire a single shot into North Korea's territory. The
warning was carried by North Korean state media. (USA Today,
11/24/11,
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2011-11-23/North-Korea-South-Korea-military/51377434/1)
Egypt's El Baradei Threatens War with Israel Troubling signs are
beginning to emerge from post-Hosni Mubarak Egypt: The prime
minister is making new overtures to Iran—and a leading
presidential candidate is threatening war with Israel. Mohamed
ElBaradei, the former director of the International Atomic
Energy Agency who has announced his candidacy for president in
Egypt, said on Monday that "if Israel attacked Gaza we would
declare war against the Zionist regime." The Digital Journal
observed: "In the world's first glimpse of the policies that may
emerge from the results of the upcoming Egyptian presidential
election, one candidate for president outlined his insistence on
protecting Palestinians in Gaza from Israeli military assaults.
Mohamed El Baradei's position on the matter is clear: An Israeli
military strike against Gaza would result in a declaration of
war from Egypt." (Jim Meyers, Newsmax.com, 4/5/11,
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/ElBaradei-Israel-War-Gaza/2011/04/05/id/391829)
Iran Threatens Israel with Missile Barrage if Attacked Iran
continues to threaten Israel, this time hinting it will hit it
with up to 150,000 missiles if its nuclear facilities are
attacked. In a continuation of its statements from the past
several days, Iran on Sunday threatened Israel with a barrage of
missiles, if the Jewish State attacks its nuclear facilities.
Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi told the
Farsnews agency that Israel will not have a minimal chance of
survival after attacking Iran. (Elad Benari,
IsraelNationalNews.com, 11/28/11,
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/150159#.TtPgJWPNltM)
China vs. Taiwan Despite showing goodwill and friendliness in
its economic and cultural exchanges with Taiwan, China has never
ceased its military exercises simulating attacks on the nation,
former deputy defense minister Lin Chong-pin said yesterday. Lin
made the remarks after the US Department of Defense released its
annual report on military and security developments in China,
saying that Beijing has not slowed its efforts to expand its
military options to deny any outside intervention in the Taiwan
Strait, despite improvements in cross-strait ties in recent
years. While briefing reporters on the Pentagon report to be
delivered to the US Congress, Michael Schiffer, US deputy
assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, said that over the
past year, China has continued to beef up its naval and aerial
combat arsenal, including extending the range of its jet
fighters and updating its submarines and surface warships, as
well as conducting sea trials of its first aircraft carrier.
("China Still a Threat, Former Official Says," Taipei
Times-Taiwan News, with CAN, 8/27/11)
Rumors of war are indeed rampant upon today’s prophetic horizon.
With the impending threats and military preparations, it becomes
clear the coming “sudden destruction” of Paul’s forewarning (1
Thessalonians 5:3) cannot be far distant in time. Jesus’ words
foretelling what this world faces when the Rapture occurs are
starkly in view at this very moment.
“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the
days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married
wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them
all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat,
they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and
brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:26-29).
Terry